There is an influx of smuggled goods from neighboring countries, a crime that deprives the country of revenue, as Kabaza operators in the country are being blamed for propagating the illegal entry of goods in the country.
The above is according to Minister of Trade Sosten Gwengwe and his Homeland Security counterpart Richard Chimwendo Banda who insist that the motorcycle taxi operators are used by people in different locations, to smuggle the goods.
To curb the vice, the Minister of Trade has engaged the National Intelligence Bureau and the Police in the Sadc region, while the Ministry of Transport will facilitate the training of kabaza operators at Traditional Authority and at district headquarters at a reduced fee for them to get Class A driving license. “These are bonafide Malawians who are looking at a chance to earn income to support their families. What we are putting in place is to make sure that they are trained, but at a reduced fee,” agreed the Homeland Minister.
Illovo Sugar Malawi, Chibuku and many more manufacturing companies have bemoaned the overwhelming presence of smuggled goods in the country, which their customers prefer than the goods on the common market. The companies and numerous others have posted losses in their financial statements, attributed to the influx of the smuggled goods.